Image forming apparatus having rotary developing unit, method for controlling, and storage medium

Abstract

A controller unit determines the operation mode of a device when an error relating to a color cartridge has been detected. When the controller unit determines that the operation mode of the device is a toner replacement priority mode, the controller unit determines whether or not the number of times a monochrome printing job has been executed is equal to or greater than a threshold value without resolving the error. When the number of times a monochrome printing job has been executed is equal to or greater than a threshold value without resolving the error, the controller unit switches the operation mode of the device to a monochrome performance priority mode.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An image forming apparatus that rotationally moves a plurality of developing material storage units that store a developing material to thereby perform printing, the image forming apparatus comprising:
 a moving unit configured to rotationally move the developing material storage unit; 
 a switching unit configured to switch the operation mode of the image forming apparatus to either a first operation mode that prioritizes avoiding an error relating to the developing material or a second operation mode that prioritizes a monochrome printing performance; and 
 a determination unit configured to determine the operation mode of the image forming apparatus when an error relating to a color developing material different from a black developing material has been detected, 
 wherein the moving unit moves a developing material storage unit that stores a developing material for which the error has been detected to a different position depending on the determination of the operation mode of the image forming apparatus by the determination unit, and 
 wherein, when the determination unit determines that the operation mode of the image forming apparatus is the first operation mode and the number of times a monochrome printing job has been executed is equal to or greater than a threshold value without resolving the error, the switching unit switches the operation mode of the image forming apparatus to the second operation mode. 
 
     
     
       2. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein, when the determination unit determines that the operation mode of the image forming apparatus is the second operation mode and if the error has been resolved, the switching unit switches the operation mode of the image forming apparatus to the first operation mode. 
     
     
       3. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein, when the operation mode of the image forming apparatus is selected and input by a user, the switching unit switches the operation mode between the first operation mode and the second operation mode depending on the selection input result. 
     
     
       4. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the switching unit associates information indicating the tendency of a print operation of the image forming apparatus performed by a user with the user and stores the resulting information in a storage unit, and
 wherein the switching unit changes the threshold value based on information indicating the tendency of the print operation. 
 
     
     
       5. A method for controlling an image forming apparatus that rotationally moves a plurality of developing material storage units that store a developing material to thereby perform printing, the method comprising:
 moving, in a moving step, rotationally the developing material storage unit; 
 switching, in a switching step, the operation mode of the image forming apparatus to either a first operation mode that prioritizes avoiding an error relating to the developing material or a second operation mode that prioritizes a monochrome printing performance; and 
 determining, in a determination step, the operation mode of the image forming apparatus when an error relating to a color developing material different from a black developing material has been detected, 
 wherein, in the moving step, moving a developing material storage unit that stores a developing material for which the error has been detected to a different position depending on the determination of the operation mode of the image forming apparatus by the determination step, and 
 wherein, when it is determined that the operation mode of the image forming apparatus is the first operation mode and the number of times a monochrome printing job has been executed is equal to or greater than a threshold value without resolving the error in the determination step, switching, in the switching step, the operation mode of the image forming apparatus to the second operation mode. 
 
     
     
       6. A computer readable storage medium on which is stored a computer program for making a computer execute a method for controlling an image forming apparatus that rotationally moves a plurality of developing material storage units that store a developing material to thereby perform printing, the method comprising:
 moving, in a moving step, rotationally the developing material storage unit; 
 switching, in a switching step, the operation mode of the image forming apparatus to either a first operation mode that prioritizes avoiding an error relating to the developing material or a second operation mode that prioritizes a monochrome printing performance; and 
 determining, in a determination step, the operation mode of the image forming apparatus when an error relating to a color developing material different from a black developing material has been detected, 
 wherein, in the moving step, moving a developing material storage unit that stores a developing material for which the error has been detected to a different position depending on the determination of the operation mode of the image forming apparatus by the determination step, and 
 wherein, when it is determined that the operation mode of the image forming apparatus is the first operation mode and the number of times a monochrome printing job has been executed is equal to or greater than a threshold value without resolving the error in determination step, switching, in the switching step, the operation mode of the image forming apparatus to the second operation mode.